


An Ocean's Reflection

by Akifall



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Bullying, Childhood, F/M, Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-10
Updated: 2016-06-10
Packaged: 2018-07-14 05:24:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7155452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akifall/pseuds/Akifall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lord Tarth is looking for suitors for his only daughter, Brienne. Brienne isn't pretty, but Jaime still likes her anyway.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Ocean's Reflection

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry if this sucks

“So when can I be the dragon?”  
A silence hung between the twins as Cersei glared at her younger brother, not bothering so much as to open her mouth to answer. Jaime sighed, readying himself to fight against the ‘dragon’ (Cersei’s handmaiden donning a blanket) as Cersei let out a feigned cry.  
“Ser Jaime! Slay thine Dragon and you shall be granted my hand in marriage.” She sang drastically, bearing a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Jaime paused, glancing down at the piece of wood. 

He had been so excited when his father proclaimed that they were to visit the Sapphire Isle, he had read about the crystalized water and the kingdom housing a great crest; he’d been interested in learning more and perhaps finding someone to teach him the way in which they fought locally. Cersei had come on the incorrect premise that the house glittered in gems; her mood had considerably darkened when she learned that this was in fact false.  
Tywin had ignored his daughter’s outbursts for the entire trip, but Jaime couldn’t have that luxury. He knew that she would put on this a great act when she set foot on their shores. Tywin would be livid if his daughter spoke openly about her distain. After all- while the Tarths weren’t packed with gold, they had a good and well liked house with many allies and few enemies. When news rose that the only daughter was to be suited with an eligible bachelor; Tywin sent word of his youngest son-Tyrion- to the lord and accepted an invitation to the house. 

Jaime had heard from many that Brienne of Tarth, the only child of Lord Tarth was incredibly deformed and ugly. “A beast in a dress.” He had heard one of their servants snigger, and while this should have repulsed Jaime, it instead intrigued him- he wanted to see her for himself.  
“Oh Ser Jaime, slain the dragon you have. My love; I reward thee with a token and my hand in marriage” Cersei sighed, her eyes closed as she puckered her lips, Jaime quickly leaned in and pressed his lips to hers for a fraction of a second before turning his face away and wiping his hand over his lips in disgust.  
Cersei ignored this and smiled brightly. “We are wed! And now you shall put a child in my womb and we shall rule this kingdom together!” She declared, wrapping herself around her brother. Cersei’s handmaiden looked amused as Jaime shook his sister off.  
“Shall we play again my love?” Cersei teased  
“No. I don’t want to play the knight anymore.” Jaime snapped.  
“Oh okay I’ll play the knight, it’s not proper but-“  
“No. Aren’t you getting sick of this? Being here? In this room? Playing this stupid game?”  
Cersei fell silent and the room turned cold.  
“What do you suggest we do then brother?” She sneered.  
Jaime thought for a moment before nodding to himself  
“I want to see the shield.” He said.  
Cersei snorted.  
“Fine go see some old shield if you must- but your be going alone.” She threatened  
Jaime grinned in relief and he noticed the smile appearing on the handmaiden’s face  
“Fine then. I’ll be back for supper.”  
And with that he stood up, opened the door and stepped out.  
Like that, nothing bad had happened and Jaime felt powerful for once.  
As Jaime left, a sharp slap could be heard from their room and a startled cry followed.  
“This was your fault your miserable bitch.”  
-  
Brienne stared at herself in the mirror. Well if she could say it was ‘herself’ Adorned in a pink dress, and her usually braided hair flowing neatly down her shoulders- she should of felt special. Her father had picked the dress for her, and while she loved her father so very much- he should have known that pink was never really her colour.  
As a younger child she knew she was different to other girls; she dreamed of a blade in her hand and felt that the dance of a sword was much more interesting than the dance between bodies. She knew that as the only trueborn daughter of Lord Tarth, she would be expected to wed and bear children. But the idea repulsed her.  
She glanced at the shredded rose on her bed and felt the pain of realization. She was deformed; she was not pretty, that much she knew. But to be gifted something extremely beautiful and then told that ‘this was all she would ever have’ made her blood boil. Without realizing it she tugged hard at her necklace of pearls and they came away; rolling around the floor in a bid to escape her grasp.  
Brienne didn’t want to meet this Tyrion. She knew of his dwarfism and felt that her height would only add to those who ridiculed him. Glancing again sadly at the mirror, she allowed herself this one moment of weakness to wonder if she liked herself at all. And when she could think of nothing good about herself- she put on her invisible armour and stepped out the room.  
-  
The castle was beautiful… well not in the way that Cersei would have liked. It wasn’t gleaming with jewels or decorated in animal heads. But everything felt old and enchanting like it jumped straight from a book. He wanted to admire it a lot more in detail but he only had an hour or less until they were expected for supper and who knows when Cersei would let him wander around alone again!  
He wanted to see the shield he’d read so much about; although unconfirmed who it belonged to, the description of it matched that of Ser Duncan The Tall and that alone excited Jaime- a shield that once protected a king… the stuff of legends.  
With haste, Jaime quickly began to search the castle- and finally stopped at a door bearing a replica of the shield, as he pushed the door open; something large and pink caught his eye.  
A person with long blonde hair and a dress that really didn’t suit her sat on the floor with her face leaning against the very shield that Jaime was looking for. Jamie would have mistaken the creature for a male if not for the dress, and for a moment he examined her.  
A nest of freckles dotted around her nose; she had skin pigment of purple shades and a case of ache that had broken out on her neck. Her hair looked more like rags (not plump like his sisters) and her chin was square while her face was round. She looked… interesting- to put it polite.  
Jaime was about to say something when the girl mumbled  
-  
“Please.” Brienne whispered against the shield. She needed her grandfather’s strength; she knew that her father wouldn’t understand- that sometimes she felt more alone than anyone could imagine; after all she was without any living siblings and she didn’t have any friends.  
She remembered a pretty girl approaching her once and although they didn’t have anything in common they became sort of friends. It wasn’t until much later that Brienne discovered that this was the girl’s employment- figuring that money wasn’t important anymore, Brienne told asked her father to stop paying her… and that was that.  
Brienne grew up on the stories of her grandfather’s legacy and inspired to be strong like him. But she wasn’t strong… she wasn’t accepted. She hugged onto the shield tighter and sobbed. To her shock she suddenly felt the shield prised from her grasp and a warm hand on her shoulder.  
“Hey- don’t do that. Look your pressing it too hard into your skin.” Jaime said, placing the shield carefully to the side. Brienne wiped her eyes hastily but found that more tears came as humiliation dawned on her. Jaime produced one of Cersei’s brightly coloured tissues (using these as ‘favours’ for her knight) and wiped Brienne’s tears away.  
“Your Brienne right?” Jaime asked with a smile. Brienne opened her eyes and stared at Jamie and then froze.  
He was-  
She had never quite seen someone as good looking as he was. So golden and perfect…she realized she was gawking and awkwardly broke eye contract with him.  
-  
Those eyes didn’t belong on her. Beautiful and clear like the ocean surrounding them- unmarred by her ugliness. He realized he was staring at her and quickly looked away flushing deeply- for some reason he felt oddly inclined to protect her.  
“Who are you?” She asked, and like everything but her eyes- her voice was imperfect and unchildlike- and Jaime loved it. After knowing only girls that would comb their hairs for hours and try to look the picture of perfection- here was someone unique and interesting to look at.  
From the distance Jaime heard his name being yelled out and he offered his hand to Brienne.  
“I’m Jaime… and that sounds like supper.” He said grinning.  
-  
“She can’t play.” Cersei hissed.  
“Why not?” Jamie argued, Brienne looked on nervously from behind Jaime.  
“Why can’t she be the princess? You’re always the princess.” Jaime proclaimed.  
Cersei’s eyes narrowed  
“It’s okay I can just watch.” Brienne mumbled, Jaime looked back at her before glaring at his sister.  
“I’m always the Princess, and you’re always the knight Jaime. That’s how it goes… she’s too ugly to be your princess.” Cersei sneered. 

Brienne closed her eyes tight and anger flared up in Jaime- she may not be beautiful but the ocean in her eyes spoke of the depths that this woman would go despite all that. Jaime took her hand gently causing her to look up at him.

“Then we’re both knights, we stick together. We will have adventures and stories, and legends and maybe by the end of it all- we won’t just be knights- we’re have names. And it may not be a beautiful story or a cleancut one- but truth be told- those stories have the worst endings.”

**Author's Note:**

> PS- Sorry I really don't like Cersei so I tried to make her horrid; I still think that Jamie has been more warped into thinking he is in love with her- when he's away from her- he seems to be a really interesting character- so looking forward to that


End file.
